Shawna Taylor, left, and her daughter Kenedee. Taylor has started a support group for families affected by opioids and other substances.Provided

An Airdrie mother is bringing a support group she launched to Calgary, with the hope that more parents and families affected by substance abuse can get access to the help they need.

Shawna Taylor has been working to get a support group together since 2017 for people with loved ones struggling with substance-use disorder, but after challenges finding somewhere in Airdrie that would “join forces” with her, she forged ahead on her own. The group, called Here Together, has held two meetings, at the end of January and February.

The Airdrie meetings will continue on the last Sunday of every month from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Airdrie Public Library. The first Calgary meeting is scheduled for March 10, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Highwood Community Association, and will include training on how to administer the opioid antidote naloxone.

Taylor said when she went to the first meeting, she wasn’t sure anyone else would show up.

“I expected that I’d just be there all by myself, but we actually had nine people show up at the first one and then we had 13 at our second meeting,” she said.

The mother said as her daughter has been in and out of recovery during the past four years, it’s been hard to find other parents going through the same thing. She first found out her daughter, Kenedee, had a fentanyl addiction when the teen was almost 18 years old. After about a year, she entered a treatment program that she stayed in for another year. In April 2018, she relapsed, and when she overdosed last July, “we almost lost her,” Taylor said.

“I’m one of the lucky ones . . . she checks in regularly just so I know she’s OK,” she said.

Taylor said she wishes she’d had access to a support group when she found out Kenedee was using fentanyl.

“Just because I think I maybe would have handled things differently or been able to advocate for her better if I’d had the resources,” she said.

“I think maybe I might not have been so tough on myself if I’d had a little bit more understanding. So I think that’s one of the biggest things I’m trying to do, is even if we can help one family, then I call that a success.”

Taylor said the common response from people who have attended the support group is that “there’s nobody who understands what they’re going through.”

“The stigma and shame is so incredible, with people thinking that it’s a parent’s fault or they should have done something differently,” said Taylor.

The group gives parents and family members a place where they can talk to people who understand and who can offer suggestions based on their experiences. Sometimes, participants opt to just listen.

The reaction to the support group has been positive, including a particularly memorable expression of gratitude from one woman, Taylor said.

“I had this lady come up to me and she goes, ‘I honestly think that you might be saving my life.’ So that’s amazing, because . . . it compounds, especially if you don’t have support of other family members . . . so there’s that kind of release where you can go and just listen, or talk, or know that these people are going through the exact same thing.”

The majority of people involved with the group have a loved one with opioid dependency, but other common substances families are affected by include meth and alcohol.

This Week's Flyers

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.